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Shreyas Pande

Shreyas Pande

The Hindu·Cinema Express

9Reviews
Rarely scored2 of 9 scored
2Publications
Awarapan 2

Awarapan 2

2026 · The Hindu

The sequel overlooks what made Shivam compelling in the first place. Even if the action sequences have improved multifold and the camera offers visuals to marvel over, the film struggles to hold itself together as it imagines the world of Awarapan purely as a generic genre piece, when its soul lies elsewhere.

Raja Shivaji

Raja Shivaji

2026 · The Hindu

Deshmukh remains largely content with glorifying the king rather than inquiring into the nature of his glory. The efforts of making a conventional biopic convert the historical icon into a one-dimensional hero, fighting a generic good vs evil battle as the aesthetics genuflect in his honour.

Heart of the Beast

Heart of the Beast

2026 · The Hindu

Even Heart of the Beast wilfully remains satisfied in being a simple tearjerker without exploring the depths of its psychological stake. But its simplicity is also curiously enticing, going back to the basics to cherish smaller moments over bigger joys.

Toaster

Toaster

2026 · The Hindu

It is a classic setup for a comedy of chaos and the film delivers on the laughs while making some fairly straightforward choices in the screenplay. Through all the laughs and chaos however, there is little to stay invested in Ramakant. The films seems to have no say under its layer of humour; there is nothing to hold onto when the laughs die down.

Baby Do Die Do

Baby Do Die Do

2026 · The Hindu

The film however, doesn't always treat the violence with gravity. Its tone is not always sharp and cynical even as it aims to critique the cornerstones of wealth and power on occasions by establishing the link between the builder lobby and mafia. Director Nachiket Samant largely uses the noir as part of the design element, lending a pulpy, comic-bookish layer to the narrative while the thematic undercurrents don't really get time to marinate.

Vibe

Vibe

2026 · The Hindu · Sep 2026

However, none of it proves enough for Vibe as Kunal Kemmu (the writer-director), relies far too much on the spontaneity of Kunal Kemmu (the actor), forgetting the propulsive riches of his debut, Madgaon Express, where the comedy progressed beat-by-beat into a hilarious outing. As it goes, he struggles to match his own vibe the second time around.

One Night Only

One Night Only

2026 · The Hindu · Aug 2026

One Night Only merely wants to reignite the memory of those light-hearted dramas, where the stakes don't guide the fate of a relationship. But the film needs more charm than it ultimately receives from Gluck's tried-and-tested approach, which seems to compensate for the excessive dose of biology with an absence of chemistry between the leads.